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Lync Overview

KU has introduced a new and powerful way to communicate with KU colleagues, KU students and other people around the world. Microsoft Lync is a one-stop shop for instant communication. With the click of a button you can open a text chat, make a voice or video call, or even start an online meeting. Lync makes online communication more collaborative and engaging. And, you can use Lync from nearly any computer or mobile device, on campus or anywhere in the world you have Internet access.

"Lync will surely improve our staff's ability to provide resources and services to our students. I am so excited to learn more about this new technology! Lync will revolutionize the ways we communicate in our office. The ability for my co-workers to be an omnipresence in my daily work is thrilling." ~Emily Hensley, International Student Services

Lync is available for Windows and Mac computers, but is not available for Linux operating system.

Help with Using Lync

On this website under "Using Lync," you’ll find comprehensive instructional resources, including brief how-to videos, online and downloadable step-by-step instructions, and a series of downloadable quick start guides. We encourage you to use these resources when you are ready to start using Lync. If you or your department would like additional instructor-led training, you can register for Lync Basic Training at workshops.ku.edu by searching on the keyword "Lync."

Key features:

Choose how you want to communicate—through text chat, voice call or video call.

Lync can be used on PCs, Macs, tablets and smartphones.

Integration with Microsoft Outlook address book makes it easy to contact KU colleagues for a quick chat, voice call or video conference.

See if your contacts are available, in a meeting or away from their desk.

Send and share files with simple drag and drop.

Start and impromptu video conference with the click of a button.

Schedule online meetings for up to 250 participants using Outlook—even if they don’t have Lync.

Chat, voice call or video call with colleagues in more than 800 institutions around the world, just by adding them as a contact.

Your Communication, Your Choice

Lync gives you options for communicating and collaborating in new ways with KU colleagues, students and even people outside the university. It brings the different ways people communicate together in a single, easy-to-use interface that includes chat, voice calls, video calls and online meetings. While Lync will be available to all faculty, staff and students, you’ll still have the choice for how and when to use it.

Lync with the World

Do you have friends or family at other Lync-friendly universities or organizations?

KU has open federation for Lync, which means you can connect with friends and colleagues at more than 850 organizations around the world that also offer open federation. You can add a non-KU person at an open federation site to your contacts list and immediately begin a chat or Lync-to-Lync voice or video call. Check the Lync Directory to find organizations that have Lync open federation.